


Core Burn

by wonderminterplus



Category: Solar Opposites
Genre: M/M, Parasites
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-22
Updated: 2020-05-26
Packaged: 2021-03-03 03:00:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,848
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24317698
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wonderminterplus/pseuds/wonderminterplus
Summary: Korvo gets a parasite that causes a condition called core burn. The parasite is controlling Korvo, pushing him to destroy everything he loves.Can his family save him before anyone gets hurt or because Korvo’s own core burns him alive from the inside out?
Relationships: Korvotron "Korvo"/Terry (Solar Opposites)
Comments: 12
Kudos: 111





	1. Chapter 1

“Come on every one! The water park is going to open soon!” Terry called up the stairs.

Jesse, Yumyulack, and Pupa came down the stairs at speeds that could only be described as near sonic speeds. Nearly pushing each other down the stairs as they squabbled over who was getting downstairs first.

The replicates were dressed for having fun at the water park. Pupa even had on a pair of tiny water floaties on their arms and a inner tube around their waist.

Terry himself was dressed for the water park and had a stripe of sunblock on his face where the nose would be if he were human. A pair of goggles were nestled high on his forehead. He had no plans on using them. Terry just thought that was what people wore to the water park.

“Took you two awhile.” Terry said.

“Yumyulack took forever picking out swim shorts.” Jesse said.

“I needed to pick the right pair that send the right message. The message being that I’m cool and emotionally distant.” Yumyulack said.

“How do you get that across in swim shorts?” Jesse asked.

“If you have to ask you would never get it.” Yumyulack said.

Terry picked up the pupa who has gestured to be picked up.

The family was ready for the water park. 

Well, almost all of the family.

“Korvy come on! We’re all ready to go!” Terry shouted.

Korvo came down the stairs, still dressed in his every day robes.

“Korvo! You’re not even dressed for the water park!” Terry shouted.

The robed alien looked confused.

“What are you talking about?” Korvo asked.

“We talked about this last night! That commercial for the water park came on and I said we should all go there. And you said sure so here we are, getting ready to go to the water park.” Terry said.

“You were serious about that?” Korvo asked.

“Yes, Korvo! I was serious. Since when am I not serious? … About water parks.” Terry said.

Korvo rolled his eyes.

“I don’t know. The subject has never come up. Besides, why would you want to share the water with a bunch of humans who leave old band aids and who know what else behind?” Korvo said.

Korvo then glanced over Terry.

“And what is with those ugly looking shoes?” Korvo asked.

Terry gasped.

“I’ll have you know these are named after a fierce earth animal.” Terry said, gesturing down at his crocs.

Korvo was not at all impressed by Terry’s claim. 

“Terry, we don’t have time to mess around with going to water parks or wearing shoes named after Earth animals anyways.” Korvo said. “We have a ship to work on fixing.”

“Here we go again.” Terry groaned.

“Do you even WANT to get off this planet before the pupa terraforms the planet?” Korvo cried.

“Yeah, of course. But we can’t just focus on that all the time.” Terry said.

“We could if you didn’t hide the focus ray.” Korvo said, crossing his arms.

Terry huffed and turned away.

“I’m taking the replicates to the water park. If you feel like being less of a grump you can come join us.” Terry said.

Saying that, the rest of the family walked out the house, Terry slamming the door shut behind him.

Terry, the replicates, and the pupa gone, Korvo stormed up to the lab portion of the house. 

He was fuming.

Korvo stomped the whole way to the attic section, intent on doing some work on the ship before he noticed there was a pile of mail set on the desk. Not that big a stack but still was clearly a couple days worth of mail.

Typical Terry. He hadn’t even sorted through the mail.

He might as well do that now.

On top of the pile of mail was a package. Korvo picked it up and glanced at the shipping label. 

It was for him. 

That was very strange. Korvo didn’t remember ordering anything though. And he damn well didn’t know many people on this planet. So his getting a package was weird.

Who ever had wrote the address and name down did not have good hand writing. It was like a human child’s scrawling crayon on a family restaurants kids coloring page.

More worrying, there was no return address.

Odd. That wasn’t normal was it?

Korvo decided this could possibly some rude or gross prank by someone he or Terry had pissed off in the past. So without even opening it he tossed the package into the wire garbage can.

No need to risk opening what was something probably unpleasant.

The rest of the mail was just typical junk mail and bills. Nothing of great interest. 

“Back to being angry at Terry.” Korvo said to himself.

He turned away from the desk to look for the ship manuals where he last left them.

The throwing away of the package was in fact a very wise plan. And if cardboard was a less porous material then maybe the trouble never would had began. 

Something, a red, gel like liquid dripped from the end of the package. Pooling at first at the bottom of the wire trash can it started to quiver. Then it started to ooze it’s way out of the trash can. The across the floor. Inch by slow inch.

Korvo passed the gel twice, finding the manuals and needing to take two trips across the attic floor to bring the manuals to the desk.

It was on the second pass towards the desk that the gel latched onto his boot.

Korvo did not notice the gel begin to creep up his boot. He was too busy getting back to his work to even notice that the gel was there.

The moment the gel touched the skin of his ankle it seeped into his skin.

Korvo had not noticed any of this. He was trying to read the manuals. Key word was “trying”.

He was getting distracted by thinking about Terry.

Sometimes Terry just made Korvo so angry. And sometimes he thought that they would never get the ship fixed in time.

Why did he let Terry indulge in all this foolishness when there were so many things that needed to be done.

Because he cared about him. Because he cared about all of them, that small inner voice said.

That didn’t make his frustration with this whole ship situation any easier. Right now he was so mad he could feel it building in his throat. 

No wait, that wasn’t anger. It was something else.

Korvo’s eyes went wide as he felt a mass building up, ever growing. He felt the need to dislodge it. 

He broke into a coughing fit. For minutes he coughed and hacked, trying to dislodge the something that was stuck in his throat.

After all that coughing and hacking the mass finally, mercifully moved and ejected his body out through his mouth. 

It was a puff of smoke and ash that escaped his throat.

Korvo stared at the cloud in horror. He extended his hand, palm open to let the ash settle on it. Then he pulled his hand close to get a better look at the substance.

Yes, it was for sure ash.

At this realization he started to feel warm. Like his core was growing ever warmer. So hot.

Like burning.

Korvo’s eyes went wide again.

“Oh, oh shit. Oh fuck.” Korvo shouted

He understood what was happening now. 

But how?

A quick glance in the direction of where he had thrown the package away confirmed a suspicion. Someone with knowledge of what he was, had access to a sample of the parasite, and wanted to hurt him with it had done this.

Korvo was drawing a blank on who would have that knowledge and motivation. Right now it did not matter.

If smoke and ash was coming out it was too late. The parasite had taken root. And it soon would have complete control of his actions. 

He had to warn his family.

Korvo ran to the console to make a recording. A warning.

His fingers, inches from the record button. His hands were shaking and it took everything to get his fingers to flex. The parasite did not want him to warn his family. It would make it easier for his family to help him. To escape the parasites wrath.

He would not let the parasite hurt them.

With a burst of determination his palm smacked the button down. More then enough to start the recording.

Korvo gripped the console as he spoke, trying everything to stay standing. he spoke in a grave, tired tone.

“Terry, replicates, I have core burn. I don’t know how but the parasite is there. I can.. can feel it starting to take hold. I don’t have much time to record this message. So i’ll get right to it.”

Korvo shuddered, taking a breath before continuing.

“I will try to destroy you all. Not by my own choice. It’s the parasite that is in control, I promise you. So whatever you do, do not trust anything I say or do. Do not get near me if you can help it. And be careful for any tricks or traps. It will try to kill you any way it can.”

Korvo paused a moment to gather courage for his next words. But only a moment. 

“And.. if yo-you can’t save me…. end me. ” he said.

He ended the recording with another burst of determination. And then all his energy spent on fighting the parasite, Korvo sunk down to the floor. There was no more fight left in him.

Korvo breathed deeply and hacked up some more ash. It felt warm on his lips. Close to painful but not quite there.

There was nothing Korvo could do now but sit and shake as the parasite continued to become stronger and stronger. To use him like a puppet.

Korvo could only hope for two out comes.

Either his family saved him, or that his core would burn him from the inside out before he could hurt any of them.


	2. Chapter 2

Night had fallen by time Terry, the replicates, and Pupa were done with the water park.

Fun had been had by all. 

Well, maybe not as much fun as Terry would had liked to have. As determined as he had been to enjoy the day despite the lack of Korvo being there, Terry had felt a bit of that regret all day.

No amount of water slides and wave pools seemed to fix that. He even thought of Korvo when shopping at the gift shop and had gotten him a mug to drink coffee out of.

“We’re back!” Terry called out.

Terry entered the house, holding the Pupa who now had a pair of water park themed sun glasses in it’s hands. Another purchase from the water park’s gift shop.

The mug and the sun glasses were not the only two purchase from the gift shop. Terry himself was wearing t shirt that proudly proclaimed that he had survived the mega super death slide.

In truth, he hadn’t even touched the mega super death slide but if the shirt he wore said so maybe people would think he had.

Jesse and Yumyulack pushed past Terry.

“Korvo!” Jesse called out. “You missed all the fun!”

“Fun? Jesse spent the whole time in the lazy river.” Yumyulack said.

“Hey, i deserve some lazy time.” Jesse said. “And that’s not true. I spent some time in the wave pool. Don’t you pool shame me.”

Terry wasn’t listening to the argument, now realizing how dark the house seemed now. Unusually so.

Did Korvo get caught up with working and forgot to leave the house lights on?

“Is it a little… ominous in here?” Jesse asked, catching on to how off things felt now.

Normally Yumyulack would be making fun of Jesse, saying that she was being paranoid. But then, he was sensing something very much off himself.

“I don’t like this.” Yumyulack said, subtly stepping in front of Jesse, Terry, and Pupa.

A protective move, even if Yumyulack himself would never admit it.

A short stretch of silence. Then movement.

Yumyulack reacted before he even knew why he was reacting.

Something had been thrown and he had caught something. Yumyulack looked at what he had caught.

A knife. he had caught a knife by it’s handle.

Yumyulack stared at the knife in disbelief. The blade had been mere inches from stabbing him right between the eyes.

Yumyulack’s first thought was that someone had broke into the home and had set this up to kill them all. With that thought, he was suddenly very worried for Korvo.

He wasn’t worried about Korvo for too long as Jesse turned the lights on and standing not far was Korvo.

He was moving in a unsettling way. Like a puppet on strings. His movements seemed stiff and expression strained.

“Korvo be careful! You could have hit one of us.” Terry cried.

Korvo snarled, showing teeth.

“Are you mad about us going to the water park without you? Hey, you’re the grump who didn’t want to go.” Terry said. “What are you doing throwing knives in the dark anyways?”

Korvo’s eyes were wrong. They were a blistering red. He had not spoken yet and his expression still looked a tad unhinged.

Then he hacked up ash.

It occurred to Terry now to be afraid.

“Oh that’s wrong.” Yumyulack said.

Making the situation more frighting, Korvo pulled out a glowing blade. One of the weapons from Shlorp that had been in storage. It was long, wicked looking, serrated blade and no one wanted to imagine the damage it could do.

Korvo let out a vicious yell and then he ran at the trio.

“Run run run!” Terry cried.

There was no need of prompting. Pupa held close in Terry’s arms and the replicates right behind Terry, the trio started running up the stairs. They were halfway up the stairs when Terry and Yumyulack were stopped when Jesse shouted.

Korvo had her ankle. Jesse was trying to pull her ankle free from Korvo’s grip.

“Let go!” Jesse shrieked.

Korvo was not listening. He was still trying to pull Jesse back, the blade still in his other hand.

“Sorry Korvo.” Yumyulack said before kicking Korvo in the face.

Korvo cried out and let go of Jesse’s foot before he stumbled back down the stairs. It gave Jesse enough time to scramble up the stairs.

Once upstairs they ducked into the attic. In seconds they were dragging furniture over to the door to block it.

“That should keep him out for a bit.” Terry said.

It was only then that everyone was able to get a moment to catch their breaths. Only a moment though before getting to the problem at hand.

“What the fuck was that all about!?” Yumyulack cried.

“Why would Korvo try to kill us?” Jesse added in.

Terry didn’t have a answer. yes Korvo could be on the grumpy side but he was not someone who just turned around and murdered the ones he cared about. 

He was still trying to think of a answer he could give to the replicates that were clearly scared. Terry was scared too but now pushed into the role as the only adult that wasn’t going to kill anyone, he needed to not show that.

Terry looked around the room, mainly to try and get a moment to try and calm himself.

That was when Terry saw it. The trail of red gel that lead to the package in the trash can.

A jab of cold fear hit Terry.

Terry now knew what he was looking at and knew just how bad this was.

“Oh shit, stay back you two.” Terry cried, pulling Jesse and Yumyulack away from the package by their shoulders.

“What is it?” Jesse asked.

Terry didn’t answer her question. Taking care of the parasite now was all that was on his mind.

“Get that blue vial right there. The one with the pills in it.” Terry said.

Jesse moved to the shelf Terry was pointing at.

“Is now really the time for drugs? Korvo just tried to kill us! And I don’t know about you two but I hadn’t done anything to earn a stabbing attempt today.” Yumyulack said.

Terry ignored Yumyulack comment as he handed the pupa to Yumyulack and Jesse handed him the vial.

Taking the vial and opening it, carefully he approached the red gel, stopping at every step to make sure the parasite was not trying to move towards him. When he was close enough Terry broke the pill until the powder inside poured out onto the red gel.

The red gel instantly started to curl up. Then it turned brittle and soon was nothing but dust.

Terry did not seem entirely pleased by this reaction despite his clear fear of the red gel.

“Son of a bitch. It is what I thought.” Terry said.

“What’s going on?” Yumyulack asked.

“Yeah, what was that stuff?” Jesse asked.

Terry was already moving on to the package itself in the garbage bin. It would take more then a few pills to make sure all of that parasite in the package was dead. 

“It was a parasite. One from our home planet. How it got here… Korvo didn’t have any samples of it I think…” Terry said, half to the replicates and half to himself. "But with how Korvo was acting, he must already be infected.“ 

"Infected with what?” Yumyulack asked.

Terry turned to the replicates and Pupa.

“Korvo has core burn.” Terry said.

“What’s core burn?” Jesse asked.

Terry was still shaken from the discovery of the parasite. It took him a minute to get his nerves back in order enough to be able to answer Jesse’s question.

“It’s this thing where there is a parasite gets in you and it starts to burn you from the inside out. I should had know when he was coughing up ash! That’s like the number one symptom. That and making the host want to kill everything they love.” Terry said.

“Why would a parasite want to destroy everything he loves too? That just seems extra mean!” Jesse said.

“I don’t know. I bet Korvo could tell you. he knows this smart shit. He would know what to do if it was one of us with core burn.” Terry said.

“Well, Korvo’s the one with core burn so we need to figure it out.” Yumyulack said.

Terry was trying to stay calm but he could not help but gooblering just a bit. 

“We can figure this out.” Terry said, very much not feeling like he was in any way having any control.

Pupa slipped free from Yumyulack’s hold to explore the attic a bit more. So many things for a curious Pupa to play with here after all. They ended up at the console and playing with some buttons. Their innocent play happened to start the recording Korvo had left.

Everyone’s attention turned to the console, all of them listening to the message. The possible last lucid words from their loved one.

Terry felt sick thinking about that. He felt sicker at the instructions Korvo had given if they could not save him.

End him.

How could he do that? How could Korvo even think he do that?

Terry hadn’t realized he had started the video over. He paused it then, staring at the still image of Korvo.

“Oh, this is so bad. You can fix this, can’t you?” Jesse asked.

Terry said nothing, still staring at the still image, barely realizing he was reaching out to touch the face of Korvo on the screen.

Yumyulack said nothing either. His silence was a different silence. One that was taking in everything and trying to figure out what their move was suppose to be. He had no more time to think though as then the door to the attic splinter open.

Everyone screamed and Korvo entered the attic. Korvo no longer had a blade in hand. He had upgraded to a gun of Shlorp origins. 

“Huh, guess he found the door blasting ray. That might had helped last week when we got locked out of the house.” Terry said.

“Don’t fucking move.” Korvo hissed.

Not Korvo, the parasite. It was stealing his voice. Stealing his life.

Terry completely moved. He tackled Korvo. Korvo got a blast off that made the replicates duck and cringe. No one was hit thankfully.

“Get Pupa somewhere safe! And then get the net gun.” Terry called out, trying to keep Korvo down and wrestle the gun out of his hands.

Jesse picked up the Pupa and she and Yumyulack ran.

That left Terry to deal with keeping Korvo busy.

“Korvo please! I know you’re still in there! Don’t do this!” Terry cried.

Korvo tried to bite Terry.

“Hey! No biting! Not cool parasite!” Terry shouted.

Korvo broke a hand free and back handed Terry across the face. Terry yelped and was dazed for a moment. That gave Korvo the chance to get to his feet, hauling Terry up with him and then slamming Terry up against the wall.

Terry yelped again. 

Korvo kept Terry held up against the wall, and leaned in to get face to face with Terry. Korvo spoke again, his voice sounding rough and raw.

“My core burns for you.” Korvo said.


	3. Chapter 3

Terry felt a twinge of something in response to that. Was this the parasite using from Korvo’s mind? Or something the parasite totally made up to twist the knife so to speak.

Oh please he hoped he didn’t have the knife on him.

“Aww, but also oh no because of the destroying everything you love thing.” Terry said, trying to keep the parasite busy. 

Buying some time to think.

Korvo’s hot breath was a wave on Terry's face. It smelled like smoke.

“Come burn with me Terry.” Korvo with more of a growl in his voice that Terry ever heard come from Korvo before.

It was kind of hot.

Now was not the time for thinking of that. He had to get out of this before the parasite thought of murdering him.

That turned out to not be very long as Korvo went for Terry’s throat with his hands suddenly.

Terry dodged the hands that were reaching for his throat. He rolled under Korvo’s arm and then ran for the door.

Korvo was right after him. Terry had only made it a few steps when Korvo grabbed him by the back of his shirt. Terry’s shirt collar was digging into his throat, making Terry gag.

“Hey, catch!” Yumyulack shouted.

Korvo looked up at the sound of Yumyulack’s voice and he caught a thrown lamp with his face.

The lamp broke against Korvo’s face and he cried out, releasing Terry’s shirt from both surprise and pain. 

Terry ran, joining Yumyulack and Jesse. Jesse was holding a back up lamp it seemed. Most likely for if the first throw had not worked.

Glass shards were embedded in Korvo’s face now, blue blood slowing leaking out from the wounds. He snarled and glared in the direction of the trio.

The trio were already running off. Yumyulack and Jesse guided Terry past the traps that they had discovered as they head back down stairs.

Once they reached the bottom of the stairs Yumyulack wrenched the front door open. Terry and Jesse were about to run through the open door when Yumyulack shook his head quickly.He grabbed their hands and lead them to a spot to hide behind the couch.

Korvo took one look at the open door and ran through it, heading into the night.

The trio waited until they were sure Korvo was not nearby before peeking out from behind the couch.

“That was pretty clever.” Jesse said.

“Yeah, but he’ll be back once he figures out that was a trick.” Yumyulack said. “So we need to come up with something now.”

“I agree with that. But also you threw a lamp? Where’s the net gun?” Terry asked.

Yumyulack crossed his arms.

“One, your welcome. Two, all the weapons are gone! And there are a ton of traps around the house. We almost got snagged by one on the way back to the attic.” Yumyulack said.

“We never should had watched Home Alone.” Jesse said. “We’ve made him too strong.”

“Okay. All this is not.. great.” Terry said.

“You think?” Yumyulack said.

“But we can think of something. There has to be something we can do other then to.. to.." 

Terry trailed off. The replicates knew what Terry was avoiding saying. Neither of them said anything.

Pupa slid into the room, gobbling down candy like there was no tomorrow.

"Pupa, we told you to stay hidden!” Jesse cried.

“And where did they get candy?” Yumyulack asked.

“Again!? How do you keep getting candy!” Terry cried.

Terry picked Pupa up. Pupa was generous and offered up one of the not chewed on pieces of candy to Terry, pushing it to Terry’s mouth.

“Not right now, Pupa. I need to figure out how to cure-”

Terry stopped. He was getting the beginnings of a plan.

“You two stay hidden. I’m going to lure Korvo to the attic again.”

“What? But you’ll need us! You can’t just take on Korvo on your own.” Jesse said.

“Yeah, at least let us help you!” Yumyulack said.

“I have a idea. But if it goes wrong I want you two to stay away.” Terry said.

“But-” Yumyulack said.

“This isn’t up for discussion!” Terry snapped in the sternest voice either replicate had ever heard from him.

The replicates went silent. It was Yumyulack who spoke next.

“If you die I won’t forgive you.” Yumyulack said.

“That’s fair.” Terry said.

Jesse ran over to Terry to hug him, tears in her eyes.

“Don’t die! Please help Korvo and please don’t die!” she cried.

Yumyulack trudged over to Terry, keeping his gaze down to the ground. He was hesitate to show emotion but let Terry pull him in for a hug.

Terry had so many reason that his plan had to work.

But first he had to get back into the attic.

The attic was so quiet that Terry could hear his breath. Even when he was trying to keep his breathing quiet as possible. 

Why was it when one wanted to be quiet everything seemed so loud? Terry was sure Korvo could explain it if he wasn’t under parasite control.

Speaking of Korvo, he should be picking up the subtle trail that Yumyulack helped him leave to the attic soon.

From his spot from under a table and behind some boxes, Terry waited. He did not have that much longer to wait as he heard heavy boot steps. 

Korvo was here.

It was time for attic encounter, round two.

“I know you’re in here. I’m coming for you, Terry.” Korvo growled.

Korvo could very well be bluffing, trying to scare him out of his hiding spot.

Terry stayed as still as he could under the table. No sounds made as Korvo walked around the attic to search it.

In fact, it sounded too quiet suddenly. Maybe Korvo had moved on out of this room already?

Terry craned his neck to get a quick look out from underneath the table.

Nothing. 

Where the hell could he had gone?

“Found you!” Korvo snarled.

Korvo’s fingers dug into Terry’s shoulders suddenly and he pulled Terry out from underneath the table.

Terry grit his teeth, trying not to shout. He could not afford to shout right now.

Korvo threw Terry against the wall, knocking that thought out of him for a bit.

Then Korvo’s boots clomped as he stormed over to Terry to grab him again. He lifted Terry up by the front of his shirt.

“Any last words before I break your neck?” Korvo asked.

Korvo was hot to the touch, Terry realized. The core burn parasite was growing ever closer to engulfing it’s host.

There was no time for words. Terry needed to act now.

Without a word Terry shoved his mouth up against Korvo’s.

Korvo went still at the suddenness of the kiss. He just froze.

Maybe the kiss shocked Korvo, whatever part of him that could understand what was happening, so much that it froze everything. Or it was thinking on the quickest way to kill Terry.

Terry thought this kiss would be actually enjoyable if Korvo was not being controlled by a parasite that was trying to kill them all. That thought was pushed away by the strong hope that this plan worked. 

Korvo’s frozen state did not last long. Suddenly he snarled and Korvo shoved Terry away.

Terry stumbled back. Korvo drew out the glowing blade that he had eariler.

“Do you really think a kiss will stop me? Some power of love bullshit?” Korvo snarled.

“Aw, that would had been sweet but no. I was actually counting on the parasite killing pill I slipped into your mouth while we were kissing.” Terry said.

Korvo froze.

“You- you, what?” Korvo cried.

“Yeah, that’s right. Take your medicine you parasite.” Terry said.

There was only a short beat of a moment before Korvo screamed and pulled at his robe’s collar. He fell to his knees, gasping and retching.

Terry watched from a distance. A safe distance in case that the parasite would lash out in it’s final moments.

Ash poured out of Korvo’s mouth a few seconds later.

So much of like, like someone was dumping out a ash tray.Now the air was thick with it at this point. It almost looked like it was snowing inside.

This was going to be terrible to clean up later.

Not Terry’s main concern now though.

Korvo writhed on the floor and continued to scream the ash starting to die down. Then a red gel shot out from his mouth. The parasite.

It was trying to escape it’s fate. It’s movements were sluggish though and the fact it seem almost stiff told Terry it did not have long at all. The parasite squirmed and curled up, going brittle much like the sample of the parasite Terry had taken care of earlier in the day. Then it crumbled apart after one final attempt to wriggle.

All that was left of the parasite now was the red ash.

Sure that the parasite was dead Terry turned his attention to Korvo.

Korvo did not move. He appeared to be unconscious. Unconscious or..

No, Terry wouldn’t even consider the other possibility.

“Korvo? Terry said, moving towards Korvo with care now.

He still was not moving.

Terry knelt down and shook Korvo carefully. He was about to try shaking him harder when Korvo gasped, taking in air that was not tinged with ash. 

"Korvo! Oh thank goodness! I thought that I might had been too late!” Terry cried.

Korvo was still trying to get his thoughts gathered. And there was still the taste of ash in Korvo’s mouth but it was starting to fade.

“Terry.. you.. you saved me.” Korvo said, his voice rasping.

“Well, yeah. Of course.” Terry said

“When it would had been safer to end me?” Korvo said.

Terry stood and offered a hand to help Korvo to his feet. Korvo took that hand and soon he was standing.

“That was never an option.” Terry said “ Even before you basically admitted you love me." 

Korvo felt heat at his core again and for a moment he feared the parasite was not completely purged from his body.

No, it was just emotion.

Seeing the slightly shocked expression on Korvo’s face prompted a question from Terry.

"So.. being clear… it wasn’t just the parasite talking?” Terry asked. “You really do love me?”

Terry was giving him a out. A chance to deny the things said during the parasites control. And Terry’s way of checking if what he thought was real and not some randomness dredged up by the parasite.

With all this in mind, it took Korvo only a few seconds to answer.

“I.. It wasn’t just the parasite talking.” Korvo said.

Terry smiled a big, wide smile.

“Don’t… make too big a deal of it.” Korvo said.

Terry did make a big deal out of it. He swept Korvo up in a hug.

“I will and you know it!” Terry said, hugging Korvo tighter.

Korvo couldn’t bring himself to even think of complaining about the hug. He only hugged Terry back.

The two stayed like that for awhile.

Then feeling the boldest he had ever in his life despite them both being on the same page, Korvo leaned in for a kiss.

As was with this kind of thing, that was when the replicates showed up.

“Oh ew.” Yumyulack said.

“Awww so sweet!” Jesse said.

Jesse and Yumyulack were at the door, Jesse holding the Pupa in her arms.

Korvo almost started to yell at the replicates but recalled the close calls his family had just gone through when he was under the control of the parasite. He joined Jesse and Yumyulack by the door.

“You’re all okay?” Korvo asked.

“Yeah! Thanks to Terry. He was really great keeping us all safe.” Jesse said.

“He actually was pretty competent at keeping us safe.” Yumyulack said.

“Aw thanks… I think.” Terry said.

A thought occurred to Korvo.

“Oh shit, are there any parasites left? Where’s the package?” Korvo asked.

“Terry killed the rest of the parasites already.” Jesse said.

Korvo relaxed slightly.

“Good. Now to move on to figuring out the who, hows, and whys of all this. This could not had been some accident. Someone tried to infect me on purpose.” Korvo said.

“That’s clear.” Yumyulack said.

“Who would had sent that parasite in the first place. And how?” Korvo asked.

“Yeah. It’s not like there is anyone else on this whole planet who has any knowledge of what that parasite was. Or where to get it.” Jesse said.

Korvo thought a moment.

“There is at lest one place on Earth where who ever did this could had gotten it.” Korvo said.

They went to the sample room of the ship. Korvo zeroed in on the section that contained the parasite samples. Or at least once had.

As expected the glass of the containment unit was broken and empty.

Looking closer at the shards, Korvo could see there were clawing marks on the glass. The person who had broken in must had tried clawing the glass like some feral animal before full on breaking it.

“What or who could had done this?” Jesse asked.

“I… don’t know.” Korvo said.

Outside, watching this scene from a tree with a pair of binoculars was the red goobler.

By now Korvo should had been dead, burned up from the inside out. And possibly had taken some family members down with him.

The red goobler snarled, unhappy with the failure of his plan.

Despite this failure, this was not over. Because after all..

There was always next time.


End file.
